Gilded Lily Read Online Free PDF

lord coughed into his hand, glancing around them almost frantically. No one was close enough to overhear. “What? No! Don’t say that word!”
    She was right. She’d been right all along. He really was hiring men to follow her in the guise of suitors. “What, then? Agents? Operatives? At least tell me he’s working for the Crown and not the other side, I’ve yet to reassure myself on that count.”
    â€œGood God, no wonder he wants you monitored! Yes, for the Crown. But you aren’t supposed to know any of this!”
    â€œThank you.” And she meant it. It was a relief, to know at last what she’d only been able to speculate about. She felt an odd wash of gratitude toward Lord Barnabas Smith-Grenville.
    â€œYou’re welcome. I . . . oh, dear heavens, I think I’ve just committed treason.”
    Freddie shrugged, amused at his polite expression of horror and his terrible espionage skills. “Your secret is safe with me, sir. I’m sure you’ve no reason to believe that, but it is. We can be honest with one another. I like you, Lord Smith-Grenville. You’re much more amusing than the usual types my father foists on me. They’re always so dour.” Perhaps the Season wouldn’t be so bad, after all, if she could spend it tweaking Smith-Grenville’s tail to make him squeak. And if he was this bad a spy on first meeting, he should be easy enough to shake when she wanted to go somewhere without the benefit of an escort. Had they trained the man at all?
    â€œYour father only has your safety in mind, you know.”
    She shook her head. “He has his own safety in mind. If he were concerned for me, he would pay enough attention to find out what I do with my time himself. He’s just worried somebody will try to use me to get to him. And while we’re being honest with one another, I’ll be honest enough to tell you that I don’t trust you. You’re his man, ergo you’re not a man I can trust. And you’re a truly terrible spy, which also doesn’t speak well for you.”
    â€œIt’s my first assignment,” Barnabas admitted, clearly disappointed in himself. “I had all sorts of things prepared to say if anybody suspected, or if I was tortured. I never expected anyone to just ask me directly, in the course of polite conversation. Least of all you. I thought this would be the simplest job possible. Damn. I’m going to hang for this, and it’s only my first day.”
    â€œOh, cheer up. You’re not going to hang. I told you, I always know. Although it was more clever of Father than usual to try somebody from the peerage, and with decent conversation for once. If you’d affected ignorance I’d have probably believed you, and just assumed you were a gold digger. You’re a very unlikely spy.”
    â€œThat was the idea. You really won’t tell him you’ve found me out already?”
    â€œNo,” she reassured him. “Easier to let him go on thinking we’ve simply hit it off. Are you going to ask for bribes?”
    He drew himself up, puffing like a pigeon. “I should certainly think
not
.”
    Freddie nodded and smiled. “Excellent, then. We shall pretend to court, you’ll report to my father that I’m innocent as a lamb without a suspicion in the world, I won’t tattle on you, and otherwise I’ll continue to do exactly as I like. Agreed?”
    Barnabas hesitated. “I can’t agree to that, Miss Murcheson. I’m ordered to know your whereabouts at all times, I’m afraid.”
    â€œCatch me if you can, my lord.”
    He sighed. “This is not turning out at all as I’d imagined.”
    They stared out at the dancers, each lost in their own thoughts for a moment, before Barnabas gathered himself and offered his arm.
    â€œWould you care to dance?”
    Freddie eyed his arm but didn’t take it. “Oh,